William Robert Colton RA
Born 25 December 1867
Died 13 November 1921
Active: 1895 - 1921
Country of birth: France
Country of death: Great Britain
Sculptor, teacher
Born in Paris, France. From an early age he and his brothers and sisters seem to have lived with their grandparents in Essex. William's maternal grandfather was William Smith (born c.1800 in Balderton, Nottinghamshire) a builder and cabinet maker.
Colton trained at Lambeth School of Art, the Royal College of Art and the Royal Academy Schools. On his return to Paris in 1899, he exhibited at the Salon and won a silver medal at the Exposition Universelle in 1900. He later became a teacher at the Royal Academy Schools (1907-12). Colton was president of the Royal Society of British Sculptors at the time of his death.
He executed a number of war memorials: the Boer War Memorial, Worcester; the Royal Artillery Boer War Memorial; the Mall, London; and Staffordshire County War Memorial, Victoria Road, Stafford (1923). He also made a number of private memorials and statues: King Edward VII, King Edward VII School, King’s Lynn (1906); memorial to W.T.Wyllie, Portsmouth Cathedral; memorial tablet to Captain F.C. Selous DSO in the Natural History Museum, London; Memorial to Sir Richard and George Tangye, Birmingham City Art Gallery (1916); Captain Matthew Flinders, Mitchell Library, Sydney, Australia (unveiled in 1925). Works in public collections include: 'The Girdle', bronze, (1898) and 'The Springtide of Life', marble, (1903) both in Tate.
He was also in demand as portrait artist, his sitters included: H.H. The Maharajah of Mysore (1905); Sir Sheshadri Iyer, Dewan of Mysore (1907); Field-Marshal Earl Roberts (1915); Lieutenant-Colonel Sir George Roos Keppel (1916); Marjorie Brassey (1917); Diana (1917) and the Rt Hon H H Asquith (1920).
Wealth at death: £19,742 3s. 4d.
Probate date: 12 January 1922
Works
Dates are usually the year a work was exhibited so may differ from date of production.
New entries have been made each time a work was exhibited. Click here for more information.
Enamels on Silver
Artist proposed for membership of ACES on the strength of this work exhibited in the 1896 ACES exhibition.
A Lily Soul
1895
£58
A Lily Soul
1896 (Presumed)
Decorative Bust of William Allen, Esq., MP
1899 (Presumed)
The Image-Finder
1901
Hyde Park Fountain
1901
The Girdle
1901
Head of a Girl
1901
The girdle
1904
H. H. Armstead, Esq., R.A.
1904 (Presumed)
The wavelet
1909
Head of a girl
1910
The Girdle
1910 (Circa)
Head of a Girl
1910
Springtime of life
1915
Field-Marshal Earl Roberts
1917 (Presumed)
£115 10s.
Diana
1918 (Presumed)
£115 10s.
F. M. Lord Roberts
1919
An Adventure in Borrowed Plumes
1919 (Circa)
On Guard
1919
In Borrowed Plumes
1920 (Circa)
£150
Locations
Address New Place Hughenden | View on map
Given as one of his addresses at the time of his death
Address North Villa Woodford | View on map
1871 (Circa)
His maternal grandfather's address
Address Norton Villa Woodford | View on map
1881 (Circa)
Address 5 St Mary Abbot's Place Kensington London | View on map
1913 - 1922
Studio located at Eaton Studios Eaton Terrace London | View on map
1895 (Circa) - 1916 (Circa)
Exhibitions, Meetings, Awards and other Events
Exhibited at Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society: Fifth Exhibition, 1896
'Enamels on Silver'
Exhibited at The Eighty-First Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1926-1927
'In Borrowed Plumes'
Exhibited at Second Exhibition of The International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers (London), 1899
Multiple works
Exhibited at The Seventy-Eighth Autumn Exhibition at the Rooms of the Society, New Street (Royal Birmingham Society of Artists), 1904
'H. H. Armstead, Esq., R.A. '
Exhibited at Corporation of Manchester Art Gallery, Thirteenth Autumn Exhibition, 1895
'The Vigil'
Exhibited at Corporation of Manchester Art Gallery, Nineteenth Autumn Exhibition, 1901
Multiple works
Exhibited at The Exhibition of The Royal Scottish Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, The Ninety-Sixth, 1922
'The wavelet'
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Scottish Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, The Seventy-Eighth, 1904
'The girdle'
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Scottish Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, The Eighty-Third, 1909
'The wavelet'
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Scottish Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, The Eighty-Fourth, 1910
'Head of a girl'
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Scottish Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, The Eighty-Seventh, 1913
'The river unto the sea'
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Scottish Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, The Eighty-Ninth, 1915
'Springtime of life'
Exhibited at Thirty-Fourth Exhibition of Works of Modern Artists, The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts, 1895
'A Lily Soul'
Exhibited at The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts Fifty-Eighth Annual Exhibition, 1919
Multiple works
Exhibited at Aberdeen Artists' Society Exhibition of Works of Modern Artists, 1910
'The Girdle'
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of pictures, in oil and water-colours: the nineteenth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1889
1889
Percy Jackson, Esq. (cat. no. 1504, not for sale); Gretchen (cat. no. 1538, bronze, £15).
Exhibited at The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts (Summer Exhibition), 1768-
1889 - 1904
Exhibited 14 times, average 1-2 works per year.
Exhibited at Cardiff Fine Art, Industrial and Maritime Exhibition, 1896
2 May 1896 - 30 September 1896
Exhibited at The Arts and Crafts Society of Ireland Second Exhibition, 1899
1899 (Presumed)
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-ninth (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1899
1899
Robert Kirkland, Esq. (cat. no. 1362, bronze bust, not for sale); The Image Finder (cat. no. 1440, bronze statue, illustrated on p. 120, not for sale).
Exhibited at International Exhibition, Glasgow, 1901
1901
Exhibited at Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the thirty-first (Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool), 1901
1901
The Wavelet (cat. no. 1524, 'By rippling shadows of the lisping lake', bronze, sketch p. 120, not for sale).
Exhibited at International Exhibition, Dublin, 1907
1907
British Sculpture, Gallery II: 'The Springtide of Life' (plaster group), p. 29 (235). Lent by the sculptor.
Exhibited at The Seventy-Second Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1917
1917
Exhibited at The Seventy-Third Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1918
1918
Exhibited at Festival of Britain, London: Ten Decades, a Review of British Taste, 1851-1951, 1951
1951
Colton's 'The Girdle' was lent by the Tate Gallery and exhibited posthumously.
Exhibition committee member for The Exhibition of the Royal Academy of Arts, The One Hundred and Fifty-Second (Summer Exhibition), 1920
7 April 1920 - 17 April 1920
Responsible for the arrangement of sculpture. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1920' (1920), p. 26.
Participant in Folkstone Memorial Competition (Folkestone Council), 1920
1920
Acted as Assessor for the competition.
Speaker at Fountains (Art Workers Guild), 1901
Institutional and Business Connections
Committee member of Royal Academy Schools
1920
Served on the Schools Committee, the Selection Committee (Junior half of Council), and on the Hanging Committee in 1920. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1919', (1920), p. 45.
Elected ARA Royal Academy of Arts
21 January 1903 - 25 April 1919
Elected RA in 1919.
Elected RA Royal Academy of Arts
25 April 1919 - 12 November 1921
Died in 1921. Colton's Diploma Work, a marble bust entitled 'The Young Diana', is listed in the Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1919', (1920), p. 80.
Lectured at Royal Academy Schools
8 February 1904 - February 1912
Lectured once on 'Enthusiasm in the pursuit of Sculpture' in 1904. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1904', (1905), p. 14 and p. 38. Lectured twice on 'Enthusiasm in the pursuit of Sculpture', and 'The Rough-hewn and the Imitation of Life' in 1906. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1906', (1907), p. 45. Lectured again on sculpture annually from 1907 to 1912.
Lectured at Royal Academy Schools
1906 (Presumed)
Lectured twice on 'Enthusiasm in the pursuit of Sculpture', and 'The Rough-hewn and the Imitation of Life'. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1906', (1907), p. 45.
Member of Art Workers Guild
1894 - 1903
Member of committee 1900-1902. Retired from the Guild in 1903.
Member of The Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society
1897 - 1900
Elected in 1897.
Member of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1905 - 1921
Amongst those 'Invited to join without the formality of proposal and seconding' [January 10 1905, Royal Society of British Sculptors, Minutes of Council Meetings, Vol.I]. Died in 1921.
Member of council Royal Society of British Sculptors
December 1919
Member of council Royal Academy of Arts
1920 - 13 December 1921
Served as a Member of the Council from 1920 until his death. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Report, 1919', (1920), p. 43.
Nominee of The Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society
1897 (Presumed)
Proposed by C.F. Annesley Voysey, seconded by Walter Crane
President of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1920 - November 1921
Died in 1921
Professor of sculpture at Royal Academy of Arts
1907 - 1911
See Popp and Valentine, 'Directory of Membership' (1996), p. 24.
Student at Royal Academy Schools
3 December 1889
See Popp and Valentine, 'Directory of Membership' (1996), p. 24.
Vice-president of Royal Society of British Sculptors
1916 - 1919
Became President in 1920.
Visitor at Royal Academy Schools
1904 - 1921
Listed as a visitor to the School of Modelling from the Life from 1904 to 1910, 1916, and from 1920 to 1921. See Royal Academy, 'Annual Reports'.
Personal and Professional Connections
Assistant was Louis Reid Deuchars
November 1905 - 1908
Nominated by Henry Hugh Armstead
4 April 1899
For RA.
Nominated by George James Frampton
4 April 1899
For RA.
Nominator of John Angel
For membership of the RSBS
Nominator of Percy George Bentham
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Nominator of Charles Bennet Lawes-Wittewronge
18 May 1911
To represent the Royal Scoiety of British Sculptors on the council for the re-constitution of the British School at Rome [18 May 1911, Royal Society of British Sculptors: Minutes of Council Meetings, no.1].
Nominator of William Reid Dick
1914 - 31 March 1919
For RA, nominations in 1914 and 1919, both unsuccessful.
Nominator of Charles de Sousy Ricketts
25 April 1915
For RA.
Nominator of (Joseph) Hermon Cawthra
1921 (Presumed)
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors
Seconder of Frederick Rogers
14 May 1906
For membership of the Royal Society of British Sculptors.
Descriptions of Practice
Listed under Sculptors Post Office London Directory, 1900 Post Office/Kelly London Directories
1900
p.2370
Occupation given in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891
'Sculptor' (living with his older brother Charles (born c.1865) who was 'living on own means')
Sources
Aberdeen Artists' Society. Fourteenth Exhibition of Works of Modern Masters, 1910
November 1910
p. 47
Aberdeen Artists' Society. Sixteenth Exhibition of Works of Modern Masters, 1919
November 1919
p. 43
Annual Report from the Council of The Royal Academy to the General Assembly of Academicians for the Year 1919, 1920 Royal Academy Annual Reports
1920
pp. 43, 45, 80
Art Workers Guild Annual Reports, 1885-1900
1894, p.7.
Art Workers Guild Annual Reports, 1901-1912
1901, p.6, p.19.
Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society. Electon of Members: Preliminary paper
1897
Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society. List of Members, 1899
1899
Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society. List of Members, 1900
1900
Autumn exhibition of modern pictures in oil and water-colours: the twenty-ninth, 1899 Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool
1899
pp. 48-52.
Cardiff Fine Art, Industrial and Maritime Exhibition
1896
Catalogue for the Eighty-First Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1926
1926
Catalogue for the Seventy-Second Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1917
1917
Catalogue for the Seventy-Third Annual Exhibition of the Royal West of England Academy, 1918
1918
Catalogue of the Nineteenth Autumn Exhibition, 1901
1901
Cat. No. 285, pp. 49, 52
Catalogue of the Thirteenth Autumn Exhibition, 1895
1895
Cat. No. 638, pp. 54, 57
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1871
2004
Class: RG10; Piece: 1637; Folio: 181; Page: 38; GSU roll: 829941
Census Returns of England and Wales, 1881
2004
Class: RG11; Piece: 1734; Folio: 83; Page: 1; GSU roll: 1341418
England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966
2010
Name: William Robert Colton
Probate Date: 12 Jan 1922
Death Date: 13 Nov 1921
Death Place: Buckinghamshire, England
Registry: London
International Exhibition Glasgow, 1901,
Official Catalogue of the Fine Art Section
1901
International Exhibition, Dublin 1907, Fine Art Catalogue
1907
British Sculpture, Gallery II
p. 29, no. 235:'The Springtide of Life'.
Plaster Group.
Lent by the Sculptor.
List of Members: Royal Society of British Sculptors
2008
Post Office London Directory, 1900 Post Office/Kelly London Directories
1900
p.2370
Royal Academy of Arts Nominations for Associateship, 1866-1906
1906
See entries for 1899.
Royal Academy of Arts Nominations for Associateship, 1906-1927
1927
p.64, , p.77, p.106.
Royal Academy of Arts. Directory of Membership from the Foundation in 1768 to 1995 including Honorary Members, 1996
1996
p. 24 and p. 141.
Royal Society of British Sculptors. Minutes of Council Meetings No. 1, 1905-1913
19 May 1913
10 January 1905
The Arts and Crafts Society of Ireland Catalogue of the Second Exhibition, 1899
1899
p. 88
Citing this record
'William Robert Colton RA', Mapping the Practice and Profession of Sculpture in Britain and Ireland 1851-1951, University of Glasgow History of Art and HATII, online database 2011 [http://sculpture.gla.ac.uk/view/person.php?id=msib2_1203033008, accessed 02 Apr 2023]
